moon-bound ♤ wolfstar

chapter//twenty-one (epilogue)

Sirius walked back into his bedroom he shared with Remus, followed by a witch who was carrying Neve. Remus was sitting in a corner, knees tucked up to his chest, wet cheeks and red eyes that broke Sirius's heart all over again. The witch sighed and held Neve closer to her chest, frowning deeply. "Poor dears," She whispered to no one in particular, and no one knew who she was referring to. 

"Will you two be okay alone here? I can stay for a while," The witch offered. "Janette is cleaning the other room and preparing the mother, Lily, to be taken to be prepared for burial." The witch shuffled over to the crib Sirius and Remus had decided to put in their room and gently set down Neve. 

"Would you stay? Just for a while?" Sirius whispered, holding baby Harry close to his chest as if he feared he was going to lose him. "And bring adoption papers, we... we can't take care of two children, but we might know a family who would adopt the other. I'll floo them." The witch nodded and left the room, leaving Sirius, Remus, and Harry alone with the fireplace. "Rem?"

"Hm?" He whispered mindlessly. 

"Can you hold Harry while I floo them?" Sirius asked him. Remus finally looked up, meeting Sirius's eyes. He opened his mouth to protest, but Sirius beat him to it. "You won't hurt him. You've held babies before." Remus got to his feet and gently took Harry from Sirius's arms, looking down at the baby who looked so blissfully happy. 

"He's got her eyes," Remus murmured. Sirius smiled sadly and grabbed a pinch of floo powder before throwing it into the fire, stating his destination, and disappearing, leaving Remus alone with the baby. The witch returned a few moments later with two full bottles and a bundle of paperwork that she set on the desk, before picking up Neve from her crib. 

"I can't imagine how much of a shock that twins must be," The witch sighed, gently placing the bottle in the baby's mouth. Remus nodded his silent agreement and gladly took the other bottle from the witch, trying to get Harry to take it. "I can't imagine how muggles give birth without all the spells," The witch went on to say, frowning slightly. Remus just nodded some more, only smiling when Harry opened his little mouth and latched onto the bottle.

Sirius arrived a couple moments later, followed by Frank and Alice Longbottom. Remus's eyes widened, but on a second thought, it made a lot of sense. Alice could never have children and Frank would never want to impregnate another woman, no matter how it was to be done. "I'm sorry for your loss," Alice murmured, resting a soothing hand on Remus's shoulder. 

"Thank you," Frank told Sirius. Sirius gave him a small smile and rested his head on Remus's shoulder, so he too could gaze down at baby Harry.

"I can't part with him," Remus murmured, almost unable to take his eyes off the small child that was wrapped up in his arms.

"Are you sure? We can raise a squib," Alice offered almost instantly.

"So can we," Remus said, glancing over at Sirius who was nodding.

"Does that mean you're not going to leave?" He asked hopefully, to which Remus only nodded. 

"The ministry is running a background check on Mr. Lupin and Mr. Black as we speak, making sure they're both suitable guardians for Harry Potter," The witch said. "And because they're the godparents, their process will be much quicker, as for you two, you'll have to go into the ministry." 

"When can we do so?" Alice asked, eyes bright and filled with happiness. Remus felt a pang of envy, but then he shoved it away. At least she was happy, she was finally getting the child she'd wanted since her third year at Hogwarts.

"Now, if you'd like. I can take you there." The Longbottoms shared a brief glance and a nod, a silent agreement that now would be the best time. The witch handed Neve to Sirius and hesitated for a moment. "Lily Potter's body should no longer be here, meaning the other medi-witch is no longer here, are you sure you don't need me for any longer?" 

"We're sure, thank you so much. What's your name?" Sirius asked, gently swaying the baby in his arms.

"Janelle Lima," She said, smiling slightly. "I will be back at some point today to let you know how the background check went and to collect those adoption papers. I'd fill them out now if I were you." She thanked both Sirius and Remus again for letting them use their fireplace, and they left to the ministry.

"You don't mind raising a squib, right?" Remus asked Sirius, who was rocking Neve, trying to get the baby to fall asleep. 

"Of course I don't, they don't get treated kindly in wizarding society, and I figure we should at least give baby Harry a fighting chance," Sirius explained. "Unless, of course, you'd rather raise him without the knowledge of magic."

"No, I think we should," Remus said. "It's what Lily and James would've done." 

"Perhaps, but they wouldn't have separated twins," Sirius told him.

"In this situation, they might have. If they were unable to care for two children and they knew a family unable to have children, and they knew that family would give their child a good home, they might have, Pads," Remus explained. Sirius nodded and laid Neve in the crib, smiling slightly.

"We can do this, we can raise a child, right?" Remus laid Harry on a spot on their bed, looking back up at Sirius. Remus cupped his husband's cheek and kissed him softly, briefly.

"We can do it, we have each other, and I could do anything by your side."

"You really are moon-bound, Rem," Sirius breathed, resting his forehead against Remus's. "Bound to the moon by an unbreakable curse, and you know what that means? You're destined for the stars, strung up amongst them by the red string of fate, when you die you'll be scattered throughout the galaxies, no one will forget you. I won't ever forget you, for as long as I live and in my next life, you'll be the only thing I can see."

"Sirius..."

"Because I love you. My name may be taken from the stars, but you... you're made of the universe. So complex, so deep, a million mysteries tucked within your skin, your heart, and your eyes, shining so brightly it blinds me. I truly don't think you understand how strongly I feel towards you," Sirius breathed. "You're everything and nothing all at once, you're warm autumn days and chilly spring days, the universe and the depths of the sea, and you're mine."

"I love you to the moon and back, my love, my husband, my life."